Listen to the Rain
by Silver Storm Dragon
Summary: A dark day marked with sorrow...saying goobbye to an old friend (formatting hopefully fixed as best it'll get)


listen to the rain  
  
The wind rustled the trees of the forest, making petals drift from the trees and swirl around the quiet cemetery. It was a suitably cold and bitter day, and somewhere far away there was the roll of thunder.  
  
There had been one funeral that day, and five mourners were still by the graveside. Three of them were teens-one of which a girl, the others boys. The girl had a hand on the shoulder of one of the boys who was knelt at the grave. There were tears in both of their eyes. The other boy was stood further back from the scene.  
  
The other two mourners were a young man aged by suffering and a young woman trying to hide in his arms. The young man's light brown hair was being slowly greyed-he was not old but had the wisdom of years forced on him. He was holding her closely as she cried.  
  
The thunder rolled again.  
  
"Just what we need. Rain." Ron Weasly commented darkly, feeling out of place. A young woman with dirty blonde hair and radishes for earrings went to stand with him. The radishes had black bows on them.  
  
"It will be. The threstrals are coming, I can feel it." Luna Lovegood looked at the grave. "From what I've heard, he was a great man."  
  
"He was." The kneeling boy turned. "Of course he was." He turned back to the grave, tracing the words. "He was my dad's best friend, and my godfather. You can't be that without being great. He went through so much, and to...to end...like this..."  
  
The girl knelt and placed her arms round him as he cried. "Harry....Harry...." She whispered softly, holding him.  
  
"He...he was the best cousin ever." The young woman spoke, wiping away her tears as the man let go of her. Her appearance changed to that of a woman with black hair and dulled eyes.  
  
The kneeling girl turned. "Your true appearance?" She said quietly.  
  
The woman smiled. "Nymphadora Tonks, at your service. No...Nymphadora Alissandra Serena Tonks-Black. That's my full name."  
  
The man holding her up by having his arm around her waist smiled. "Sirius always laughed when you told us your full name."  
  
"He would. It's a funny name."  
  
For a moment people smiled, and it wasn't so bad.  
  
The rain fell.  
  
The people stayed.  
  
"Tonks, we have to leave...it's a full moon."  
  
"Oh, but Remus-"  
  
"I'm sorry. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna-I'll be in touch. Soon."  
  
Hugs were exchanged.  
  
Luna looked to the heavens. "I ought to go, to. I told Dad I'd only be an hour or two, and there's someone else I want to visit here."  
  
Ron's hand found hers. "I'll walk with you. I wouldn't want you to get hurt or anything."  
  
They left, leaving two mourners. One stood, her hand on the shoulder of the seated.  
  
The rain fell harder.  
  
"Listen to the rain." She said softly.  
  
"It's rain. It's fallen before and it'll fall again." He said irritably.  
  
"But listen to it. It's like secrets being whispered."  
  
"It's like rain."  
  
"It sounds like weeping."  
  
"Yeah, well we all have to get used to that."  
  
"Harry, you're not alone in this."  
  
"Then why have they left? The only one who hasn't is you, Hermione-and that's just because no-one will let be on my own anymore cause I might do something I'll regret." He snapped.  
  
"The only reason I'm here is to say goodbye to an old friend. And if I happen to give support to another friend, then there's no harm in that. Your problem, Harry, is that you won't believe that we've got the problem too. You're not the only one. Lupin and Tonks had to leave-it's up to Tonks to look after Lupin now. And Luna wants to see her mother. You know what Ron's like-he just wants to look after her."  
  
Harry looked at her. "I can't do this. I can't hack this. He was my only way out, my only family, my hope, and now-and now-"  
  
She knelt next to him. "He's not your only hope. You've still got me and Ron. And you can do this, you can hack this-because you're strong. I believe in you."  
  
"If I'm so strong, then why am I sat here crying my eyes out?"  
  
"Because you care. Some think it is a weakness, and in a way I suppose it can be, but a lot think it's a strength. And in you it's a strength."  
  
"Maybe I don't want to care anymore. Maybe I just want to give in. Maybe I just-"  
  
She put a finger on his lips. "You and I both know you don't mean that."  
  
He gently pushed the finger away, but held her hand in his. "This is too hard. I don't like this."  
  
"I know."  
  
She held him tightly, and he wept.  
  
A black dog with wolfish leanings surveyed the scene, cocking its head in wonder. Why were they crying? It wasn't any great tragedy. The dog walked closer to the grave, going to comfort these teary beings-but an old friend from the forest was calling.  
  
A stag bowed its head low, stood at the edge of the forest. It tossed its head-a beckoning if ever there was one.  
  
The dog ran toward it, tail in the air wagging madly as it ran into the forest and joined its friend. They would play together in the manner they always did, dancing, tumbling, leaping. They hadn't played for years, but finally-finally-they were both free to frolic in the grass.  
  
It wasn't raining in the forest.  
  
Some things change, others don't. As time goes on there will always be good and evil. There will always be the rain and there will always be the sunshine. There will always be life. And there will always be death.  
  
But know this-there are times when life is trying, when all hope is gone. Conversely, there are times when life is wonderful, when happiness is abundant. But all through these times, there is something there to keep you going no matter what else goes on. There's always a force that's there. And sometimes it might seem to be far away, but it's always there. Always.  
  
The rain had stopped, but now the last two mourners were leaving. The silence between them was one that was crucial.  
  
The wind rustled the trees of the forest, making petals drift from the trees and swirl around the quiet cemetery. Some landed on a grave, blotting out the words-but all knew what they said;  
  
Sirius Black  
Loyal friend  
Proud godfather  
Member of the Order of the Phoenix  
  
Though the spirit may be departed, the memory lives on  
  
I stand alone in the storm  
Suddenly sweet I say no  
Couldn't they stay for you haven't much time  
Open your eyes to the love around you  
You can feel you're alone  
But I'm here still with you  
You can do what you dream  
Just remember to listen to the rain  
evanescence-listen to the rain  
  
d/c: I don't own any of these characters, nor do I own the song Listen To  
The Rain. I apologise for any errors.  
Sylvi  
xox 


End file.
